Underliner for floor coverings



March 10, 1942. w. s. vRooMAN 2,275,575 A UNDERLINE??- FOR FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Jan. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. l.

INVENTOR. LJm g. Vrroommn ATTORNEY. 5

March 10, 1942.

A2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. S. VROQMAN UNDERLINER FOR FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Jan. 3, 1938 Patented Mar. L0, 1942 UNDERLINEB FOR FLOOR COVERINGS VWilliam S. Vrooman, Pontiac, Mich.,

assigner to Baldwin Rubber Company, Pontiac, Mich., a

y corporation of Michigan ppilcation January 3, 1 938, Serial No. 183,185

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to floor coverings and refers more particularly to improvements in VVan underliner or padding for mats, carpets, and the like.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to replace the usual jute or iibrous backing with a preformed sheet of rubber composition having greater cushioning qualities than conventional paddings and being comparable to the latter in weight and cost of manufacture.

Another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provision of a relatively thin padding sheet having a plurality of individual 4 compressible pads for engagement with the supporting surface to afford the desired cushioning effect and having reinforcing ribs interconnectl ing the pads in such a manner as to not only insure return of the pads to their normal shape when they are relieved of the applied pressure, but to also cause the relatively thin sheet to retain its shape over a long period of time.

A further object of this invention consists in the provision of a padding sheet of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph capable of being molded from a vulcanizable material, such as rubber or rubber composition, and also possessing the flexibility required to conform to the irregularities in the surface of the floor.

Still another vobject of this invention consists in the provision of a molded underliner wherein both the pads and ribs are hollow and project downwardly from the underside of the underliner forming correspondingly shaped recesses in the top surface of the underliner.

A still further object of this invention consists in the provision of an underliner which may be t made up of several sheets of padding having the adjacent edges overlapping with the pads depending from the bottom surface of the uppermost sheet extending into the recesses formed in the top side of the bottom sheet 4by the hollow support engaging pads depending from the bottom surface of the lower sheet and with the hollow reinforcing ribs on the former extending into the recesses formed in the top side of the lower sheet by the ribs depending from the bottom surface of the latter sheet. As a result, the overlapping portions of the sheets nest into one another to form a substantially iiush surface and interlock with one another to prevent creeping of one sheet relativeto the other.

The foregoing. as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is atop plan view of the padding sheet;

Figure 2 is a bottom viewof` Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated bythe line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a sectional underliner showing the sections in overlapping relationship; u

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially the sheet shown in on the plane indicated by the line 5--5 of Figure 4; and A Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown A my improved padding sheet l0 in connection with a oor mat Il of the type employed to cover the flooring of motor vehicle bodies, although it is to be understood that the padding may be used in association with any particular type of iloor covering where it is desired to cushion the tread. Also, in the present instance, both the mat and padding are shown as formed of a vulcanizable material, such as rubber or rubber composition, and the padding is illustrated as vulcanized, or otherwise permanently secured to the underside of the mat. However, permanent attachment of the padding to the floor covering is not essential to realization of numerous advantages of the present invention and either or. both the mat and padding maybe formed of some material other than the one specified above. The padding, however, is preferably formed of rubber or some composition of rubber since this material not only possesses the desired degree of iiexibility and resiliency required to afford the cushioning qualities but, in addition, oners the 'possibility of inexpensively manufacturing the padding by a simple molding operation. Also, materials of this type, in addition to being impervious to moisture, also possess good insulating qualities, and in some installations these characteristics are highly desirable.

Upon reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the padding I 0 is in the form of a relatively thin sheet of highly flexible material and that the cushioning qualities are secured by a plurality of closely spaced individual hollow projections or pads I2. The bottom surfaces of the pads engage the flooring to support the portions of the sheet between the pads in spaced relation above the support and, in the present instance, the pads are shown as semicushioning effect.

spherical in shape, although it will be understood 'that various different shapes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

The covering sheet II is placed over the padding I and, like the padding, is preferably exible in order to permit the same to conform to irregularities in the ooring., In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the padding sheet III is vulcanized 0r permanently secured to the underside of 'the covering sheet II, and the pads or projections I2 are shown as cooperating with the covering sheet l -to form air pockets I3. As a result of the foregoing construction, it will be noted that when pressure is applied to -the oor covering sheet II, the pads I2 in the region the pressure is applied will compress and thereby aord the desired This operation will, of course, result irrespective of whether or not the covering sheet II is 'permanently secured to the padding sheet I0.

Inasmuch as the padding sheet I0 is relatively thin in order to reduce the weight of the same to the minimum, it is desirable to provide some means which will insure return of the pads I2"to their normal position when the pressure applied to the covering II is removed. This is accomplished in the present instance by interconnecting the side walls of adjacent pads l2 with reinforcing ribs I4. These ribs, as well as the pads I2, are formed in the padding sheet I0 by depressing portions-of the latter outwardly from the normal plane of the sheet during the mold- A ing operation. As a consequence, the ribs M project downwardly from the padding sheet I0 and, like the pads I2, are of hollow construction. Upon reference to Figures l and 2, it will be noted that the ribs I4 are in the form of grooves in the sheet I0 and extend radially from each pad I2 to the adjacent surrounding pads. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the ribs I4 are shown as. forming a cluster of upwardly projecting pads I5 around each of the downwardly extending pads I2, and each pad I5 of one cluster forms a pad in two of the adjacent clusters. It will, of course, be understood that the Dads I5 are also' of hollow construction and cooperate with the pads I2 to provide maximum cushioning qualities.

The ribs, in addition to forming the clusters of pads I5, also effectively reinforce the padding and insure immediate return of the padding to its normal shape as soon as the pressure on the pad-- ding is relieved. In addition, the reinforcing ribs I4 render it possible for the padding to retain its shape over a long period of use notwithstanding the fact that the padding is relatively thin and light in weight.

In Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, the underliner I1 or padding is not secured to the covering sheet I8 and is shown as formed of at least two sections I9'and 20. Upon reference to Figures 5 and 6, it will be noted that the adjacent edge portions of these sections are arranged in overlapping relation with the pads I2' of the top section 20 fitting into the recesses 2| formed by the pads depending from the bottom section I9 and with the oppositely extending pads I5 on the top surface of the bottom section I9 fitting into the adjacent recesses 22 formed by the pads I5 on the top section 20 of the sheet. In other words, the ribs Il' depending from the top section 20 fit into the recesses formed by the ribs depending from the bottom section I9. As a consequence, the two sections form a continuation of one another with the ltop and bottom lsurfaces of one section substantially flush with the corresponding surface of the other section. Also, with the above construction, the interengaging portions aforesaid of the sections provide an interlocking connection therebetween and 4prevent relative movement of the sections in the plane of the sheet. It follows, therefore, that the underliner may be manufactured in convenient sizes, irrespective of the area to be covered and, if this area should be greater than the size of the sheet, the latter may be extended by employing additional sheets in the manner outlined above.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided a relatively simple and inexpensive padding possessing maximum cushioning qualities and having insulating properties. It will also be noted that my improved padding is extremely light in weight and is highly flexible so that the latter will readily conform to any irregularities in the surface covered thereby. It will further be noted from the above that several padding sheets may be readily connected together to extend the area of the padding by merely overlapping the adjacent edge portions of the sheet to nest the pads depending from the uppermost sheetl in the recesses formed by the pads in the adjacent portion of the lowermost sheet.

What I claim as my invention is:

' 1. A padding for floor coverings comprising a flexible sheet having hollow support engaging projections extending from the underside of the sheet for engagement with a supporting surface, and reinforcing ribs projecting from the underside of the sheet to a. lesser extent than the sup' port engaging projections, said ribs interconnecting the projections and extending radially of said spaced from each other in a plurality of directions and reinforcing ribs projecting from the underside of the sheet to a lesser extent than the hollow support engaging pads and interconnecting the side walls of the pads.

3. A padding for floor coverings comprising a relatively thin molded rubber sheet having depressed portions forming hollow support engaging pads spaced from each other in a plurality of directions and having portions intermediate the pads depressed to a lesser extent than the pads to form hollow reinforcing ribs of less depth than the pads interconnecting the side walls of the pads.

4. A padding for floor coverings comprising a exible sheet having hollow support engaging pads extending from the underside of the sheet for engagement with a supporting surface, said pads arranged in rows with'the pads in alternate rows offset with respect to the pads in adjacent rows in a direction toward the ends ci the rows adjacent one margin ofthe sheet. to locate each pad in said alternate rows between a pair ,of adjacent pads in said adjacent rows, and a 'plurality of reinforcing ribs interconnecting the pads and having a depth substantially less than the depth of the pads so as to bel normally free from contact with the supporting surface.

5. A padding for floor coverings having a covering sheet, comprising a flexible sheet having hollow support 'engaging pads extending from the underside -of the flexible sheet for engagement with a supporting surface and cooperating with the undersurface of the covering sheet to form individual air pockets, said pads arranged in rows with .the pads in alternate-rows offset with respect to the pads in adjacent rows in a direction toward the ends of the rows adjacent one margin of the sheet, and a plurality of hollow reinforcingvribs of substantially less depth than the depth of the pads extendingl from each pad and cooperform aixpassages between the pads.

6. A floor covering having a exihle covering l0 -ating with the underside of the covering sheet to 

